We appreciate the responsible action of Quebec in taking these concerns of their constituents seriously.

Across the country Canadians are being exposed to constant microwave radiation while a great many international experts say this is dangerous.These affairs are regulated by the federal government.There is a near complete lack of information from federal authorities about the dangers. Thus the vast majority of Canadians are unaware of, and cannot be said to consent to, this dangerous situation. We rely on federal regulators who have failed. It is time for political correction, it is time for Parliament to act on this serious matter.

The telecom industry claims safety for their microwave emissions. For this they depend largely on research backed by their own industry. When a very large body of independent research proves the opposite, there is a very big problem. This is the worst example possible of "no scientific consensus" -- industry on one side, independent scientists on the other, while people and animals get injured and worse.This situation is fully exploited by the telecom industry, as federal regulators act in their apparent favour, even while citizens cry out about danger and ongoing suffering.These citizens' complaints are backed by a coalition of international experts, such as came together to publish the Bioinitiative Report referred to in the SEMO petition submitted to Parliament.

This 2007 Report, and very much further research since, has provided the basis for grave concern internationally. Based on this Report, the EU Senate has spoken of its "great concern". In October, the French national health and environment agency spoke in favour of reductions in public microwave exposure. Even little Liechtenstein is far ahead of Canada: their Parliament demanded adhesion to standards put forth in today's petition. Action in other countries worldwide in recognition of the dangers, puts to shame assurances of safety by Health Canada and Industry Canada.

Why should Canada be last to protect its citizens? Canada too often waits for Americans to go first instead of acting on its own. But even in the U.S., Senate hearings on the dangers of cell telephony took place a few months ago.A famous American activist on health issues was involved. There have been multiple international conferences, one just last month in Norway, attesting to the dangers.Yet, around the same time, Health Canada issued its belated update on microwave standards, and it outrageously failed to take to heart the thousands of scientific papers that contradict its position, not to mention the cries of Canadians suffering from electrosensitivity and other ailments related to radiation exposure.

The following paragraph incorporates wording from parts of the Bioinitiative Report's summary:

Human beings are bioelectrical systems. Our hearts and brains work using bioelectrical signals. Exposure to artificially-generated microwaves can interact with fundamental biological processes in the human body. Decades of international scientific research confirm that microwave radiation is biologically active in animals and in humans. This has major public health consequences.Existing public safety standards limiting these radiation levels are thousands of times too lenient.

Why do Canadians deserve less protection? Other countries have moved to act in a precautionary vein. Are our bodies different?What maybe is different here is too close an alignment between the telecom industry and its regulators.It is high time for there to be political intervention to reset our regulators' priorities in a precautionary vein.In the face of disputatious science, where lives are at stake, it is dangerously irrational to allow microwave radiation to bathe an unwitting public at anywhere near current levels.

We acknowledge the vital importance of telecommunications to Canada.It is for that reason that jurisdiction was maintained as federal. Municipalities across Canada have sought to apply precautionary measures regarding antenna installations, but have not been allowed because of jurisdictional immunity. Local authorities have the constitutional obligation to see to the health of their citizens, but they are prevented by jurisdictional entanglements, and while this goes on for years, Canadians suffer severe health effects.

Judges in Europe have already recently forbidden cell phone tower installations on the basis of the precautionary principle. Some people have already been so hurt by dangerously permissive Canadian standards, that Section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guaranteeing "life, liberty and security of the person" has been violated.

We demand Parliament urgently examine, as other legislators have worldwide, and revise drastically downward the allowable levels of public exposure to microwave radiation. We likewise demand that there be clear legal enablement for municipal or provincial authorities to respond in a precautionary manner to citizens' health concerns over installation of microwave antennae in their midst. There is no way that telecom industry worries about adequate coverage or increased costs should trump genuine concerns for public health. There is no way that anyone can reasonably claim that long-term exposure to microwave radiation from cell masts has been adequately studied.We are all an ongoing part of the largest epidemiological experiment ever -- this highly unethical situation demands immediate Parliamentary redress.

It is fair to state that the following signatories are representative of very many concerned and informed Canadians, speaking for the far greater number of citizens kept in the dark about this ongoing dangerous experiment on themselves.

Una St.Clair-Moniz, Langley, B.C.stcllair@telus.cnetDirector Citizens for Safe Technology Society,–– focused on protecting children: against Wi-Fi in schools and public places(supporting hard wiring) and against cell antennae within 1,000 metres of schools

Walter Patrick McGinnis Victoria BC walter@msginniselectric.ca chairman of the EM Radiation Health Alliance of BC and I would like to add my name on behalf of our group, to your declaration.

Moms for Safe Wireless has launched its new website at www.momsforsafewireless.org. The website has research about reported long-term health effects from exposure to radiofrequency radiation from wireless products and cell phone towers. It describes why children are more at risk and includes recommendations on how to use cell phones more safely. Check out the video vault that has interviews with scientists and doctors.

The evidence is in - and it is overwhelming. Even at typical low power, cell phones and wireless technology cause severe biological disturbances in human cells. In August 2007, 26 medical and public health experts their Bioinitiative Report - available online - reviewing all the literature on the effects of electromagnetic radiation

CT Brain Perfusion Scans Safety Investigation: Initial Notification

[UPDATED 12/07/2009] The FDA, working with state and local health authorities, has identified at least 50 additional patients who were exposed to excess radiation of up to eight times the expected level during their CT perfusion scans. These cases so far involve more than one manufacturer of CT scanners. Some of these patients reported hair loss or skin redness following their scans. High doses of radiation can cause cataracts and increase the risk of some forms of cancer.

On the basis of its investigation to date, the FDA is providing interim recommendations for imaging facilities, radiologists, and radiologic technologists to help prevent additional cases of excess exposure.

Facilities review their radiation dosing protocols for all CT perfusion studies to ensure that the correct dosing is planned for each study.

Facilities implement quality control procedures to ensure that dosing protocols are followed every time and the planned amount of radiation is administered.

Radiologic technologists check the CT scanner display panel before performing a study to make sure the amount of radiation to be delivered is at the appropriate level for the individual patient.

If more than one study is performed on a patient during one imaging session, practitioners should adjust the dose of radiation so it is appropriate for each study.

[Posted 10/09/2009] FDA notified healthcare professionals that it has become aware of radiation overexposures during perfusion CT imaging performed to aid in the diagnosis of stroke at a particular facility, the patients receiving radiation doses that were approximately eight times the expected level. While this event involved a single kind of diagnostic test at one facility, the magnitude of these overdoses and their impact on the affected patients were significant. This situation may reflect more widespread problems with CT quality assurance programs and may not be isolated to this particular facility or this imaging procedure (CT brain perfusion). If patient doses are higher than the expected level, but not high enough to produce obvious signs of radiation injury, the problem may go undetected and unreported, putting patients at increased risk for long-term radiation effects.

FDA encourages every facility performing CT imaging to review its CT protocols and be aware of the dose indices normally displayed on the control panel. These indices include the volume computed tomography dose index and the dose-length product. For each protocol selected, and before scanning the patient, carefully monitor the dose indices displayed on the control panel. To prevent accidental overexposure, make sure that the values displayed reasonably correspond to the doses normally associated with the protocol. Confirm this again after the patient has been scanned. Patients should follow their doctor's recommendations for receiving CT scans. While unnecessary radiation exposure should be avoided, a medically-needed CT scan has benefits that outweigh the radiation risks.

EDITORHand held cellular telephones, using pulse modulated signals of frequency 870-995 MHz, are being used increasingly.Most reports of health symptoms related to use of these phonesare anecdotal. We undertook a cross sectional study of a communityin Singapore to study the prevalence of specific central nervoussystem symptoms among users of hand held cellular phones comparedwith non-users and to determine any association of risk factorsand central nervous system symptoms among users of the phones.1

From a sampling frame of all flats in a large town we conducted a one stage random cluster sampling of 808 individuals, whowere interviewed by trained medical students using a structuredquestionnaire. Central nervous system symptoms of those who didand did not use hand held cellular telephones were compared andany possible association studied. A two tiered approach was usedto try to mask the true purpose of the questionnaire in whichheadaches and health symptoms were dealt with in the earlier sectionsbefore respondents were asked about their use of cellular phones.These steps should help to reduce recall bias among therespondents.

The prevalence of users of hand held cellular phones in Singapore was 44.8%.1 Headache (according to the InternationalHeadache Society's criteria2) was the most prevalent symptomamong users compared with non-users, with an adjusted prevalencerate ratio of 1.31 (95% confidence interval 1.00 to 1.70). Therewas a significant increase in the prevalence of headache withincreasing duration of use (min/day) (P=0.038). The prevalenceof headache was considerably reduced among those who used hands-freeequipment compared with those who never used such equipment (42%v 65%).

Usage of hand phone and hand-free equipment and prevalence of headache

Use of hand held cellular phones is not associated with a significant increase in central nervous system symptoms other thanheadache. We would suggest that more community studies shouldbe conducted before one can make a statement such as "the onlyestablished risk is of using one while driving."3

'Black metal' discovery could advance the use of T-rays for medical scanning

Scientist Chunlei Guo discovered a way to change the surface of a variety of metals so they absorbed virtually all light by using intense laser light in late 2006. He followed up his "black metal" discovery in 2008 by discovering how to use the same basic process to alter surface properties to turn metals a variety of colors. Now Guo and his University of Rochester colleagues have discovered that the altered black metals can detect electromagnetic radiation with frequencies in the terahertz range, also known as T-rays, which have potential in medical and scientific scanning applications, as well as security scanners.

With wavelengths shorter than microwaves, but longer than infrared rays, T-rays occupy a place in the electromagnetic spectrum that is capable of exciting rotational and vibrational states of organic compounds, like pathogens. This quality could allow doctors and biomedical researchers to get previously impossible glimpses of diseases on the molecular level. In addition, unlike X-rays, T-rays are non-ionizing, which means that people who are exposed to them don't risk the possible tissue damage that can result from X-rays.

To create the T-ray absorbing black metal Guo exposes the metal to a beam of ultra-brief, ultra-intense laser pulses called femtosecond laser pulses. The laser burst lasts less than a quadrillionth of a second. To get a grasp of that kind of speed, consider that a femtosecond is to a second what a second is to about 32 million years.

During its brief burst, Guo's laser unleashes as much power as the entire grid of North America onto a spot the size of a needle point. Despite this, the femtosecond laser can be powered by a regular wall socket. That intense blast forces the surface of the metal to undergo some dramatic changes creating nanostructures that makes them extremely efficient in absorbing terahertz radiation.

University of California, Berkeley, bioengineering Professor Thomas Budinger says terahertz radiation is like much-higher-frequency radar, except that it theoretically can allow its users to see intricate details of tissue architecture, on the scale of one-thousandth of a millimeter and smaller, instead of large objects like airplanes and boats.

"Terahertz electromagnetic radiation has the capability to interrogate tissues at the cellular level. If applied within microns of the subject of interest, this form of imaging has the theoretical capability to detect properties of molecular assemblages that could be attributes of disease states," Budinger said.

Although the potential of T-rays in the areas of medical imaging, security scanning and scientific imaging has been known for some time, they have remained notoriously difficult to detect because typical materials do not readily absorb that frequency. However, after undergoing Guo's technique, metals become over 30 times more absorptive.

"When we turned metals black, we knew that they became highly absorptive in the visible wavelength range because the altered metals appear pitch black to the eye. Here, we experimentally demonstrated that the enhanced absorption extends well into the far infrared and terahertz frequencies," Guo said.

As promising as T-rays sound, there are still some questions to be answered regarding their safety. Although terahertz photons are not energetic enough to break chemical bonds or ionize atoms or molecules, which are the main reasons X-rays and UV rays are so damaging, they may damage us in other ways.

Recent research by Boian Alexandrov and colleagues at the Center for Nonlinear Studies at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico examining how terahertz fields interact with double-stranded DNA has indicated they could significantly interfere with processes such as gene expression and DNA replication. Alexandrov says that although the forces generated are tiny, resonant effects allow terahertz waves to "unzip" double-stranded DNA, creating bubbles in the double strand.

T-rays are naturally present in our environment, just like UV and infrared light, but if our exposure to them is set to dramatically increase through emerging technologies, such as Guo's black metal, then it might be worth figuring out just how much exposure is too much before T-rays become widely used in hospitals and airports.

Call for mast referendum

A RADIATION expert has called for a referendum to decide a bid for a mobile phone mast in Ponteland.

Scientific Advisor for the Radiation Research Trust, Barrie Trower, visited the area to talk about his and other research into the subject at a public meeting in Ponteland Memorial Hall.

In front of about 200 people, he outlined his concerns about

the effects of radiation from telecommunications masts, including claims that they have produced cancer clusters when placed near schools.

But he says he is happy for those who support the masts to present information to residents and then they should have the power to decide.

Two bids by Telefonica O2 have been made to place masts on different site in The Broadway, Darras Hall, to improve its 3G mobile coverage.

Both were rejected by Northumberland County Council's West Planning Committee, with objections submitted by many local residents and Darras Hall First School.

"All I'm asking is that the residents, parents of schoolchildren and staff are given an equal amount of both sides of the scientific argument," Mr Trower told the 'Herald'.

"I could write on one side of A4, the company can write on another side and then there should be a referendum where people living and working within 1,000m of the site would decide whether they want it or not."

Telefonica O2 does have permission for one of the sites because the first refusal was invalid, as it did not happen within the required 56 days of the application being received. Other options available to it include seeking a third potential site and appealing against the refusal for the other site.

James Stevenson, Communications Manager for O2, said there was plenty of scientific evidence to show that mobile phone masts do not pose health risks.

He added: "A referendum with one side of A4 for each side is not a bad idea but it would be difficult to put into practice because of logistics and getting all the necessary information onto one side of A4."

Normally, I stay away from scary movies, but I couldn't resist going to the world premiere of a terrifying documentary called "Full Signal" last week at the Santa Fe Film Festival.

No blood, no Gore, just the electrifying truth. There are an estimated 4 billion cell phone users around the world, and that number is rapidly increasing. To give us the kind of connection we all crave, thousands and thousands of cell phone towers and antennas have been built and — as filmmaker Talal Jabari documents — hidden from view on rooftops and behind trees, disguised as chimneys and church spires, and kept as far under the regulatory radar as possible.

The problem is the electromagnetic field—the EMFs—created by all this constant connectivity disrupt our own normal cell activity and wind up making some of us very sick.

Can you hear me? Cancer? Alzheimer's? Brain tumors? Autism? Fertility impairment? Hormone disruptions? The list of health problems linked to EMF exposure and documented in "Full Signal" goes on and on, locally and globally, with more and more scientists, researchers and citizen activists from around the world sounding the alarm.

"Prolonged exposure to radiofre-quency and microwave radiation from cell phones, cordless phones, cell towers, Wi-Fi and other technologies has been linked to interference with short-term memory and concentration, sleep disruption, headaches and dizziness, fatigue, immune disruption, skin rashes and changes in cardiac function," says Dr. Martin Blank on the highly regarded Website www.Bioitiative.org, one of many Websites you can connect to via the www.Fullsignalmovie.org site.

The scary part is how we tune it all out because we love our cell phones and wouldn't know how to live without them. In certain ways — through email, social networking, small screen viewing — your mobile devices create your world.

In other ways, they can destroy it and your well-being by overcooking your innards until some part of your body, brain or behavior breaks down.

"It is generally not appreciated that there is a cumulative effect (on our bodies) and that talking on the cell phone for an hour a day for 10 years can add up to 10,000 watts of radiation. That's 10 times more than you get from putting your head in a microwave oven," says Dr. Paul Rosch, clinical professor of medicine and psychology at the New York Medical College.

Help! My ears are ringing. "A two-minute call can alter brain function in a child for an hour," he says, "which is why other countries ban their sale or discourage their use under age 18."

Age 18? That's certainly not the American way. We're starting kids out with Barbie phones at age 8. See how CTB (Cell Technology Breakdown) has already affected our collective brains?

"There is no question EMFs (electromagnetic fields) have a major effect on neurological functioning," writes brain researcher Eric Braverman, M.D. a contributor to the very juicy Electromagetichealth.com Website.

Deterioration of health. That's where I came into the picture, sitting through the world premiere of "Full Signal," wishing it were clearer, sharper, better, but very happy to know it's available and part of an ongoing campaign to raise awareness.

Can you hear me now? Alarming numbers of people — children are most vulnerable—are getting sick, not just here in the U.S. but in hot spots around the globe. This isn't speculation anymore. It is science, say the public health doctors and researchers Talal Jabari interviewed in eight countries and six U.S. cities. He's a former "60Minutes" producer and really did his homework.

I urge you to start doing your own homework. Meanwhile ... 1) Power down whenever you can; 2) use the speaker or a non-transmitting ear device; 3) take the wireless phone out of your bedroom; 4) don't let your community deteriorate into a toxic soup of EMFs.

Hello? Are you still there?

Marilynn Preston is the creator of Energy Express, the longest-running syndicated fitness column in the country. She has a website, http://marilynnpreston.com and welcomes reader questions, which can be sent to MyEnergyExpress@aol.com.

WEEP News

by: Martin Weatherall

As a Canadian independent foundation, WEEP acts as an umbrella organization and focuses on progressive initiatives that bring increased awareness, policy change, and entrepreneurial activity around the issues of safe Electro Magnetic emissions.

WEEP News is a service provided by WEEP to keep those interested in and affected by Wireless, Electric, & Electromagnetic Pollution, informed on a daily basis, of all the current issues and initiatives in the world today.